Insulator.



No. 798,235. PATBNTED AUG. 29, 1905.

' W. R. TWIGGS.

INSULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY!) 1904.

Inventor- \Nitnesse Hctomegs UNITED STAT ES PATENT oFFroE.

INSULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed May 9, 1904. Serial No. 207,091.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Twrees, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Insulator, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to insulators.

One object of the invention is to improve the construction of suchdevices by rendering them capable of holding the line-wire securelywithout the use of tie-wires or similar fastening devices.

Other objects of the invention are to simplify and cheapen theconstruction of insulators.

With these objects in view the invention resides in an insulator formedwith a central depression from which lead off in opposite directions aplurality of downwardly-inclined slots which taper toward their outerends and are adapted to receive the line-wire, said wire being held inthe slots by balls inserted through the central depression and engagingsaid line-wire. v

The invention will be more clearly described hereinafter, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,wherein Figure 1 is a sectionalview, partlyin elevation, of the improveddevice. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a plan view.

The numeral 1 indicates the body of the improved insulator, which may bemade of glass or other suitable insulating material. Formed in the upperend of the insulator 1 is a central depression 2. Communicating with thecentral depression 2 are oppositelyextending slots 3 4, each of which istapered or contracted toward its outer end. The upper portion of eachslot 3 4 is narrowed, as shown at 5 6, only suflicient width being givento the slot to permit the insertion of the line-wire 7. A groove 8 ofsuflicient size to receive the under portion of the line-wire 7 isformed along the bottom of each slot 3 4 and across the bottom of thedepression 2. Balls 9 10, of suitable insulating material, are placedone in each of the slots 3 4, said balls being adapted to rest upon thewire and hold it securely in the groove 8. It will be observed from thedrawings that the slots 3 4 in addition to being tapered are inclineddownwardly toward their outer ends. By reason of this construction theballs 9 10 when they are placed in the central depression 2 will rolldown the tapered slots 3 4 until they become jammed therein, the jammingof the balls being further facilitated by any movement of the line-wire.

The method of using the improved insulator will be understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings. The wire 8is inserted through the narrow upper end of the slots 3 4 and fittedinto the groove 7. The balls 9 10 are then inserted into the slots 3 4,respectively, where they serve to hold the line-wire securely in place,preventing not only its withdrawal from the insulator, but also anylongitudinal movement thereof.

The balls 9 10 may be made in different sizes to permit the use of largeand small wires. If desired, a large and a small ball may be used witheach insulator. hen it is desired to remove the wire from the insulatorfor any reason, the small ball may be easily taken out of its taperedslot first and then the large ball afterward.

By reason of the fact that a longitudinal pull on the wire 8 causes theball on the side from which the pull is exerted to become jammed in itstapered slot, and thus securely hold the wire, said wire may bestretched properly when first applied to the insulator to prevent itfrom having excessive slack between the supporting poles, and theimproved insulator will prevent it from sagging after having been onceproperly stretched.

It is preferred to construct the insulator and the balls from glass; butit will be understood that any other suitable material may be used forthis purpose. Furthermore, the insulator is adapted to be used upon anykind of electric wires or systems.

The improved insulator, as before stated, is designed to hold theelectric wire without the use of binding or tie wires. In this mannerthe time and labor of applying the tie-wires, to say nothing of theexpense of the tie-wires themselves, is saved and the line-wire may bestrung much cheaper and quicker than heretofore.

Changes in the precise details of construction illustrated and describedmay be made within the scope of the following claims without departingfrom the spirit of the inven tion.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. An insulatorcomprising a body portion having a depression formed in the top thereof,diametrically disposed downwardly inclined slots radiating from saiddepression and adapted to receive a line-wire, and removable lockingmembers disposed within said slots for engagement with said wire.

2. An insulator comprising a body portion having a depression formed inthe top thereof, a plurality of diametrically disposed downwardlytaperedslots radiating from said depression, and removable locking membersdisposed within said slots and adapted to engage said wire.

3. A11 insulator comprising a body portion the top of which is providedwith a plurality of diametrically-disposed slots inclined downwardlyfrom the center thereof and adapted to receive a line-wire, and lockingmembers disposed within said slots and adapted to engage said wire.

l. An insulator comprising a body portion the top of which is providedwith a plurality of diametrically-disposed slots inclined downwardlyfrom the center thereof and each having a groove in its lower walladapted to receive a line wire, and removable locking members disposedin said slots and adapted to engage said wire.

5. An insulator comprising a body portion provided with a depressionhaving a plurality of diametrically disposed slots radiating therefrom,a seating-groove formed in the bottom wall of each slot for thereception of a line-wire, and balls disposed in the slots and adapted toengage said wire.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM R. TlVIGGS'.

lVitnesses JosI-I B. DAVIs, JOSEPH EBNER.

